Anders Sundström and Hans Kreisel join newly founded gas infrastructure group in Sweden “Swedegas and Weum will reinforce the role of the gas infrastructure in the energy transition.”

Anders Sundström will become chairman and Hans Kreisel Group CEO of the newly founded group, which includes the two gas infrastructure companies Swedegas and Weum (formerly E.ON Gas). First State Investments which via its infrastructure fund European Diversified Fund II acquired both Swedegas and Weum during 2018, is now laying an important foundation for enhancing the role played by the gas infrastructure in the energy transition process.

Anders Sundström has a long and substantial background from both industry and politics and he will take up the post of chairman in January 2019. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the forestry company SCA and was previously CEO of the insurance company Folksam, as well as chairman of both Swedbank and the Swedish Cooperative Union. He has also held three ministerial posts for the Social Democrats – Labour, Industry, and Social Affairs.

“The main reason why I accepted the offer is that the owners have confirmed the companies’ ambitious sustainability objectives, and they have also entered as long-term owners with a focus on development and expansion,” said Anders Sundström.

Hans Kreisel is currently CEO of Skellefteå Kraft and he will take up his new position during the second quarter of 2019. He has held a number of leading positions in the energy industry in Sweden, the Baltics and Germany, and has amongst others previously worked for the E.ON Group, most recently as CEO of E.ON Gas. Hans Kreisel has also been chairman of the Swedish Gas Association, and is currently the chairman of GEODE, the European trade association for independent energy distribution companies.

“The energy system of the future have everything to gain from taking advantage of the potential offered by gas and the gas infrastructure. Personally, I feel strongly motivated by the opportunity to pursue these issues forcefully, and to be part of the dialogue about how we can in the best possible way approach the transition that is taking place in our energy system,” said Hans Kreisel. “We can in a very concrete way support the realisation of official Swedish climate goals by helping to ensure that key sectors, such as industry and transportation, can make a successful transition to more environmentally friendly energy solutions.”

Swedegas and Weum own and operate gas infrastructure in south-west Sweden. The companies are specialised in gas distribution. Customers include industrial enterprises, the transport industry, domestic users and the restaurant sector. The companies are working actively to increase the proportion of renewable gas in Sweden with the goal of having 30 per cent renewable gas in the system by 2030 and being totally free of fossil fuels by 2050. The proportion of biogas at present is in excess of 20 per cent and increasing steadily.

Swedegas and Weum will continue to be run by the current management teams with Johan Zettergren as CEO of Swedegas and Kenneth Andersson as CEO of Weum, respectively.

First State Investments (FSI) is a global asset management company with more than 20 years’ experience of infrastructure investments. European Diversified Infrastructure Fund II (EDIF II), which is managed by FSI and where the investors are mainly European pension funds, focuses on long-term investments in European infrastructure companies. In Sweden, EDIF II, and its predecessor EDIF I, owns Swedegas, Weum and ForSea Ferries.

Swedegas owns and runs the gas transmission network in south-west Sweden and the LNG/LBG infrastructure at the Port of Gothenburg. Weum owns and operates the distribution network in south of Sweden. The companies develop, maintain and invest in the gas infrastructure, distributing gas to industry, the transport sector, domestic users and the restaurant sector. By doing so, they are increasing the competitiveness of its customers and creating long-term societal benefits. Through active investment and partnership, they are also promoting the role of renewable gas in Sweden’s future energy transition.